Boat hull construction

ABSTRACT

A boat hull side wall is formed with a plurality of vertically spaced finger and/or toe receiving slot recesses, which are disposed both above and below the normal water line of a boat when the boat is at rest. The slot recesses extend rearwardly along the hull side wall from a point forwardly of the intended point of side entry to the boat and open through the hull rear wall or transom. The forward end of at least those recesses disposed below the water line is gradually reduced in crosssectional size or tapered to afford smooth flow transition between forward non-recessed and rearward recessed outer surface portions of the hull side wall.

United States Patent [1 1 Zeilinger 1 1 BOAT HULL CONSTRUCTION [76]lnventor: Robert G. Zeilinger, 123L Sebring Dr., Depew, N.Y. 14043 [22]Filed: Oct. 31, 1973 [21] App]. No.: 411,284

[ 51 Feb. 11,1975

Primary Eraminer-Trygve M. Blix Assistant ExaminerStuart M. GoldsteinAttorney, Agent, or Firm-Bean & Bean [57] ABSTRACT A boat hull side wallis formed with a plurality of vertically spaced finger and/or toereceiving slot recesses. which are disposed both above and below thenormal water line of a boat when the boat is at rest. The slot recessesextend rearwardly along the hull side wall from a point forwardly of theintended point of side entry to the boat and open through the hull rearwall or transom. The forward end of at least those recesses disposedbelow the water line is gradually reduced in cross-sectional size ortapered to afford smooth flow transition between forward non-recessedand rearward recessed outer surface portions of the hull side wall.

4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures BOAT HULL CONSTRUCTION BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION It is extremely difficult to climb onto a boat from the waterwithout the use of some sort of ladder. step or stirrup.

There 'are presently on the market many ladders, which are designed tobe removably hung over the side of a boat hull, as an aid to boarding.These units are, however, normally of cumbersome construction and occupyvaluable storage space when not in use.

To overcome the above mentioned storage problem. many proposals havealso been made to provide a hinged section of the hull side, which opensto form steps into the boat, or to fit the boat with steps or stirrups,which are retractable through an opening provided in the hull side.However, these proposals may adversely effect the structural integrityof the boat hull side and their moving parts may be subject todestructive corrosion.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention features a unique boathull construction, which serves to define a permanently in place ladderfor assisting a swimmer in climbing from the water onto a boat.

More specifically, in accordance with the present invention, a boat hullside wall is formed with a plurality of vertically spaced finger and/ortoe receiving slot recesses, which are preferably disposed both aboveand below the normal water line of the boat when at rest. The slotrecesses extend rearwardly along the hull side wall from a pointforwardly of the intended point of side entry to the boat and openthrough the hull rear wall or transom. The forward end of at least thoseof the slot recesses, which are disposed below the water line, aregradually reduced in size or tapered to afford smooth flow transitionbetween the forward nonrecessed and rearward recessed portions of theboat side hull.

In the preferred form of the present invention, the slot recesses are ofessentially rectangular crosssectional configuration and verticallyspaced apart through a distance corresponding to that of a conventionalstair riser. The tread or lower surface of each recess is preferablyformed with a friction surface.

By forming the boarding ladder of the present invention as a permanentpart of the boat hull side, it is always available for immediate use andthere are no moving parts in need of repair or maintenance. Moreover, byemploying slot recesses to define the tread or bearing parts of theladder, there are no parts protruding beyond the side wall of the boatwhich might be injured during docking or cause injury to persons in thewater.

Further, the preferred construction provides substantially no adverseinfluence on boat performance, and results in a boat hull design whichis decorative and racey in appearance.

DRAWINGS The nature and mode of operation of the present invention willnow be more fully described in the following detailed description takenwith the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a power boat incorporating thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary rear perspective view of the boat shown in FIG.1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken generally along line 33 in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken generally along line 4-4 in FIG. 3, butshowing an alternative configuration of the forward ends of the slotrecesses.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Refernce is now made particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2,wherein a boat 10 is shown as having a hull l2constructed in accordancewith the present invention to provide a ladder 14 for use in assisting aswimmer in climbing from the water onto the boat. For purposes ofillustration, boat 10 is shown as being a conventional outboard powerboat, which is provided with a rear cockpit 16 partially bounded by amotor mounting transom forming hull rear wall 18 and gunwalls or hullside walls 20. However, it will be understood that the presentconstruction is adapted for use in other boat designs, such as forinstance inboard power boats and sailboats.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, it will be understood that for the average sizepower boat hull construction, ladder 14 would comprise a plurality ofessentially horizontally disposed, vertically spaced slot recesses 22,which are formed in one or both of hull side walls 20 and arranged bothabove and below the normal water line (W.L.) of the boat when at rest inthe water. The height and depth of the individual recesses 22 may varyas long as they are of sufficient size to receive and providecomfortable support for the fingers and/or toes of the swimmer. It isanticipated that an ideal height of each recess would be about 2 inches,whereas an ideal depth would be between about 3 and 4 inches. Thevertical spacing between or step height of the recesses would preferablybe between about 7 and 8 inches. Thus, the number of recesses providedin any given hull construction would depend upon the height of thegunwalls above water line W.L. In all cases, at least one recess wouldbe provided below the water line and for very small boats, those abovethe water line could be omitted, particularly where suitable hand holds,such as cleats 24, are fixed to the gunwalls in vertical alignment withthe ladder.

In the presently preferred construction, the forward ends 22a of slotrecesses 22 are forwardly tapered or have a progressively reduced sizeor cross-sectional area so as to afford smooth water flow transitionbetween the forward nonrecessed and rearward recessed outer surfaceportions 20a and 20b of hull side wall 20, and the rearward ends 20b ofthe recesses open through transom 18 in order to allow for unobstructedflow of water rearwardly through the recesses. As best shown in FIGS. 1and 2, rearward outer surface portions 20b of hull side walls 20, withinwhich recesses 22 are located, are essentially vertically disposed,whereas forward outer surface portions 20a are progressively contouredin a direction towards the bow, as is conventional with boats of thetype illustrated. It is preferable from the standpoint of aestheticappearance to taper the forward ends of all of the recesses. However,from the standpoint of boat performance. it is only necessary to taperforward ends of those recesses, which are disposed in the water duringforward movement of the boat. The forward ends of the recesses may betapered in both vertical and horizontal directions as indicated in FlGS.1-3, such that they assume a generally conically shaped configuration.Alternatively, the forward ends of the recesses may be tapered in only ahorizontal direction, as indicated in FIG. 4, such that they assume agenerally wedge shaped configuration.

From the standpoint of convenience, it is preferable to arrange theforward ends of slot recesses 22 forwardly of transom 18 through adistance at least approximating shoulder width in order to facilitateentry of the swimmer directly into the cockpit of the boat.

To facilitate fabrication of ladder l4, recesses 22 would preferably beof rectangular cross-sectional configuration, although the lower surfaceof each recess may be downwardly and inwardly inclined in order toreduce the possibility that the fingers and/or toes of a swimmer mayslip out of the recess during use. Further, from the standpoint ofsafety, it is preferable to roughen or otherwise provide the lowersurface of each of the recesses with a friction thread. However, theupper and rear or vertical surfaces of the recesses would preferably besmooth.

The present ladder construction permits same to be mold or otherwiseformed as an integral part of hull side wall 20, with the result thatthe rear portion of the hull side wall is employed to define risersbetween adjacent slot recesses and the walls bounding the slot recessesare employed to define ribbed reinforcements for the hull side wall.Alternatively, ladder 14 may be separately formed and fixed within arecess defined by hull side wall 20, so long as the risers of the ladderare disposed flush with the hull side wall front portion a.

I claim:

1. In a boat construction having a rear cockpit bounded in part by hullside walls and a transversely extending rear wall, said hull side wallshaving forward and rearward outer surface portions, said rearward outersurface portions being characterized as being essentially verticallydisposed, the improvement ofa ladder associated with at least one ofsaid rearward outer 4. surface portions for assisting a swimmer inclimbing from the water directly into said cockpit. which comprises incombination:

at least one slot recess formed in said one of said rearward outersurface portions and arranged below the water line of said boat when atrest in the water, said recess being horizontally elongated and havinglower tread, upper and rear surfaces. said recess having a forwardlydisposed end thereof characterized as being of progressively reducedcross-sectional area in a direction towards one of said forward outersurface portions associated with said one rearward outer surface portionfor affording smooth water flow transition therebetween, said recesshaving a rearwardly disposed end thereof opening through an outersurface of said rear wall for allowing unobstructed flow of waterrearwardly through said recess, and said recess is characterized ashaving a generally rectangular cross-sectional configuration and asbeing dimensioned to at least receive the fingers/toes of a swimmer andas extending forwardly of said rear wall through a distance at leastapproximating shoulder width of said swimmer in order to facilitateentry of said swimmer directly into said cockpit.

2. The improvement according to claim 1, wherein hand holds are fixed tosaid one of said side walls vertically above said ladder.

3. The improvement according to claim 1, wherein said upper and rearsurfaces are smooth and said lower thread surface is formed with afriction tread.

4. The improvement according to claim 1, wherein said ladder includes aplurality of like configured slot recesses disposed at least one bothabove and below said water line of said boat when at rest in the waterand formed in both of said rearward outer surface portions.

1. In a boat construction having a rear cockpit bounded in part by hullside walls and a transversely extending rear wall, said hull side wallshaving forward and rearward outer surface portions, said rearward outersurface portions being characterized as being essentially verticallydisposed, the improvement of a ladder associated with at least one ofsaid rearward outer surface portions for assisting a swimmer in climbingfrom the water directly into said cockpit, which comprises incombination: at least one slot recess formed in said one of saidrearward outer surface portions and arranged below the water line ofsaid boat when at rest in the water, said recess being horizontallyelongated and having lower tread, upper and rear surfaces, said recesshaving a forwardly disposed end thereof characterized as being ofprogressively reduced cross-sectional area in a direction towards one ofsaid forward outer surface portions associated with said one rearwardouter surface portion for affording smooth water flow transitiontherebetween, said recess having a rearwardly disposed end thereofopening through an outer surface of said rear wall for allowingunobstructed flow of water rearwardly through said recess, and saidrecess is characterized as having a generally rectangularcross-sectional configuration and as being dimensioned to at leastreceive the fingers/toes of a swimmer and as extending forwardly of saidrear wall through a distance at least approximating shoulder width ofsaid swimmer in order to facilitate entry of said swimmer directly intosaid cockpit.
 2. The improvement according to claim 1, wherein handholds are fixed to said one of said side walls vertically above saidladder.
 3. The improvement according to claim 1, wherein said upper andrear surfaces are smooth and said lower thread surface is formed with afriction tread.
 4. The improvement according to claim 1, wherein saidladder includes a plurality of like configured slot recesses disposed atleast one both above and below said water line of said boat when at restin the water and formed in both of said rearward outer surface portions.